The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-301296 filed on Sep. 29, 2000 and 2000-311514 filed on Oct. 12, 2000 including the specification, drawings and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for setting control parameters of a machining apparatus such as a machine tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a workpiece is machined by use of a machine tool equipped with a computerized numerical controller (CNC) (hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9cNC machine toolxe2x80x9d), control characteristics (e.g., machining time, machining accuracy) vary depending on control parameters of the NC machine tool. Desired control characteristics may vary among users, and may also vary among workpieces of different types which a single user machines by use of a single NC machine tool. Therefore, NC machine tools are configured to enable users to set (or modify) control parameters.
Conventionally, when control parameters of an NC machine tool are to be set or modified, a worker causes the NC machine tool to display a control-parameter setting screen on a display unit of an operation unit of the NC machine tool, and subsequently inputs various control parameters individually on the control-parameter setting screen by use of an input device.
Control parameters are used for adjusting a CNC in accordance with the characteristics and functions of an NC machine tool and motors for operating the NC machine tool. Therefore, values of the control parameters do not directly correspond to the desired machining accuracy and shape of a workpiece. Therefore, when the above-described method of directly inputting various control parameters to thereby set or modify the control parameters is used, the worker encounters difficulty in determining proper values for control parameters which enable attainment of desired control characteristics, with the result that the worker encounters difficulty in setting optimal values for the control parameters. In particular, in an NC machine tool having a plurality of drive axes, since machining is effected through combined movements of the plurality of drive axes, the work for setting the control parameters becomes more difficult. As described above, when the conventional method for setting control parameters is employed, a worker encounters difficulty in setting control parameters.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for setting control parameters of a machining apparatus, which method and apparatus enable easy setting of control parameters for obtaining desired control characteristics.
In the following description, the term xe2x80x9ccontrol parametersxe2x80x9d may refer to actual values set for control parameters.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for setting control parameters of a machining apparatus, comprising: a storage unit for storing a set of control parameters for each of a plurality of machining modes; an input device for selecting one of the plurality of machining modes; and a control unit for selecting a set of control parameters corresponding the selected machining mode and setting the set of control parameters as control parameters to be used for controlling the machining apparatus.
Since a set of control parameters is stored in a storage unit for each of a plurality of machining modes, a set of control parameters required for attaining desired control characteristics can be set through a simple operation of selecting a machining mode, without direct setting of control parameters. Therefore, setting of control parameters can be facilitated.
Preferably, the control-parameter setting apparatus includes a display unit; and the control unit displays the plurality of machining modes on the display unit. When one of the plurality of machining modes displayed on the display unit is selected by use of the input device, the control unit selects a set of control parameters corresponding to the selected machining mode and sets the set of control parameters as control parameters to be used for controlling the machining apparatus.
In this case, since the plurality of machining modes are displayed on a display unit, selection of a machining mode is facilitated.
Preferably, the plurality of machining modes are classified in accordance with either or both of machining accuracy and machining time. Preferably, the plurality of machining modes are classified in accordance with corner accuracy and curve accuracy. In this case, since the plurality of machining modes are classified in accordance with machining conditions which a worker can understand easily, the worker can set control parameters on the basis of desired machining conditions.
Preferably, the plurality of machining modes are displayed on the display unit in the form of a graph. In this case, since the plurality of machining modes are displayed in the form of a graph, selection of a machining mode is facilitated further.
The present invention also provides a method for setting control parameters of a machining apparatus, comprising the steps of: storing in a storing unit a set of control parameters for each of a plurality of machining modes; designating one of the plurality of machining modes; and selecting a set of control parameters corresponding to the designated machining mode and setting the set of control parameters as control parameters to be used for controlling the machining apparatus.
Since a set of control parameters is stored in a storage unit for each of a plurality of machining modes, a set of control parameters required for attaining desired control characteristics can be set through a simple operation of, for example, inserting machining mode information into a machining program, without direct setting of control parameters. Therefore, setting of control parameters can be facilitated.